Beauty Typography: A Window Into Brand Personality

By: Aniko Hill

Posted: April 27, 2012, from the May 2012 issue of GCI Magazine.

Typography has been around as long as print, meaning its variations are numerous, and it plays maybe the key role in communicating to consumers.

Common typographic selections include serif, sans serif, script and alternative typefaces, which can communicate everything from tradition and elegance to rock ’n’ roll and playfulness.

The most important thing to keep in mind when developing or rebranding a product’s packaging with a new typeface is to stay true, representative and consistent with the brand’s message.

Since the beginning of civilization, typography has been used in one form or another to document our culture and to tell stories. Up until recent history, typography was mostly an art form created by hand, from the cherished illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages to the custom lettering seen in mid-century advertising. It wasn’t until the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in the 1400s—widely regarded as one of the most important events in modern history—that mass production of information and literature became possible and typography as we know it today was born.

Although food has been packaged throughout history, it wasn’t until the 1800s that products started to be labeled and marketed to the masses. By this time, typography had started to play a central role in communicating product attributes and benefits to buyers. Today, typography is part of almost every visual interaction we have with brands, whether we are reading an article online or selecting a package to buy on the shelf.

Typography plays a central role in all packaging as it is the medium through which the brand name, product details and ingredients are communicated. Type can also express brand personality, whether from the style of the typeface or the way letterforms are arranged. When looking at typography as visual communication in the context of a crowded marketplace, using a highly expressive or individual typeface isn’t necessarily the way to achieve visual interest though. In fact, if not executed properly, typography can very easily be perceived as unsophisticated. For this reason, many of the most successful typographic solutions utilize well-designed, classic fonts with the arrangement of the letterforms or words communicating a very specific feeling. For example, open letter spacing (the horizontal space between individual letters) or lots of leading (the vertical space between lines of text) can make the design feel light and airy, and symmetrical typography can feel balanced and calm.

One very important principle in typography and letterform design is that a font is not a logo. A logo is a symbol for the brand, and therefore must encompass a much bigger and broader story, even if the logo does not have an accompanying pictorial mark. Because fonts are so readily available, a typeface typically needs to be customized or arranged in a unique type treatment in order to be ownable for the brand. Additionally, many larger companies even commission custom corporate fonts to be developed for them in order to make their design communications more unique.